Stimulation and microswitch‐based programs for enhancing indices of happiness: a maintenance assessment

This study assessed whether stimulation and microswitch‐based programs maintained their positive impact on indices of happiness over time. Three people with multiple disabilities, who had participated in a study comparing these programs, continued to be exposed to them over a maintenance period of 5 or 6 months. Maintenance data showed that the frequencies of indices of happiness increased or remained unchanged for two participants and declined for the third. The frequencies of microswitch activations were higher for two of the participants and largely unchanged for the other. Procedural aspects of the study, implications of the findings, and relevant issues for new research are discussed. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Correlates of the Protestant Ethic of Hard Work: Results From a Diverse Ethno-Religious Sample

We examine the demographic and personality correlates of the Protestant ethic and how it correlates with contemporary individual and social issues. Success is more prevalent among Christian fundamentalists, those who were born outside the United States, individualists, individuals who have a higher locus of control, and individuals who believe in a just world. Hard work is more prevalent among Asian Americans and Filipinos, women, those who have a higher internal locus of control, and those who believe in a just world. Our data show that success and hard work are correlated positively with hours worked, total hours worked, and liberalization of drug laws. No other study has examined these issues using a diverse ethno-religious sample.     

Association of Depression with Complications of Diabetic Pregnancy: A Retrospective Analysis

The goal of this study was to determine whether an association between histories of depression and adverse pregnancy outcome could be established using a retrospective analysis. Participants were a convenience sample of 152 pregnant diabetic women for whom prior pregnancy data were available. Prior pregnancy outcome, depression history, and other clinical characteristics were determined from chart review and medical history questionnaires. Logistic regression was used to determine which of the measured clinical factors, including history of depression, had a significant association with history of pregnancy complications. Thirty-nine patients (26%) had a past history of depression. Three pregnancy complications (preterm labor, pre-eclampsia, fetal prematurity) were more common in the group having a history of depression as was the proportion of participants requiring Caesarean section p( < .05 for each comparison). A history of depression was associated with prior pregnancy complications independent of the effects of parity, prepregnancy BMI, tobacco use history, diabetes type, and presence of diabetes complications (OR = 3.6; 95% CI = 1.5–9.0, p = .006). These retrospective data indicate that depression is linked to complications of diabetic pregnancy and support the need for prospective studies to clarify the effects of depression and its treatment on diabetic pregnancy.     

Sales profession and professionals in the age of digitization and artificial intelligence technologies: concepts,priorities, and questions

Recognizing the rapid advances in sales digitization and artificial intelligence technologies, we develop concepts, priorities, and questions to help guide future research and practice in the field of personal selling and sales management. Our analysis reveals that the influence of sales digitalization technologies, which include digitization and artificial intelligence, is likely to be more significant and more far reaching than previous sales technologies. To organize our analysis of this influence, we discuss the opportunities and threats that sales digitalization technologies pose for (a) the sales profession in terms of its contribution to creating value for customers, organizations, and society and (b) sales professionals, in terms of both employees in organizations and individuals as self, seeking growth, fulfillment, and status in the functions they serve and roles they live. We summarize our discussion by detailing specific research priorities and questions that warrant further study and development by researchers and practitioners alike.